Back then, Joe Carter was not yet the president of the Sierra Club; he was simply a dedicated environmental volunteer who had accepted a request from a wealthy businessman to conduct an environmental assessment in a small Arizona town.

However, as fate would have it, his journey to Arizona was interrupted by a blizzard. The snow fell so thick and fast that it obscured his vision, leaving him disoriented in the whiteout. With no other choice, he found a cave to seek temporary refuge.

The cave was cramped, and the chill seeped into his bones. Joe Carter could feel his limbs grow stiff, as if the specter of death was approaching.

It was then that he witnessed the most extraordinary scene of his life.

The gale force winds split the swirling snowflakes apart. In the sky above, a peculiar rift began to form, as if someone had sliced the heavens with a sword. Then, incredulously, Joe Carter saw two people amid the gap—a man and a woman.

Suspended mid-air, their clothes fluttered as if caught in an invisible breeze. The man brandished a golden lasso, repeatedly trying to ensnare the woman. She, however, was enveloped by floating petals that had formed a protective shield around her.

“It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” Mr. Carter recounted. “I’ve heard that travelers on the verge of death in the desert sometimes see strange visions, though they are said to be mere illusions. In my condition, I couldn't discern whether it was real or merely a mirage, perhaps no more substantial than a fanciful dream.”

Emily, listening intently, rested her chin in her hands, her eyes thoughtful. “What happened after that?”

“I can't say,” Mr. Carter confessed. “When I regained consciousness, the snow had ceased, and no trace remained of what I'd seen.”

Emily smiled enigmatically. “Mr. Carter, you might be a good man, but you’re certainly not the sharpest... The family who called on the Sierra Club for an evaluation ten years ago, do they still live there? If I were to inquire, asking if a volunteer arrived with a child during that time, might they keep your secret?”

Mr. Carter froze.

“I gave you a chance, yet you kept dodging the truth,” Emily pointed out. “You’re not afraid of dying, but are all the members of the Sierra Club equally brave?”

Shutting his eyes tightly, Mr. Carter fell to his knees, humbly bowing his head to the ground. “Your Grace, my deceptions are inexcusable, yet I beg your mercy, spare the Sierra Club—they are unaware.”

Before Emily could react, he confessed, “My hesitance was not meant to deceive but to protect my apprentice's extraordinary origins. I hope you'll understand.”

“Tom is that woman's child,” Emily stated with certainty.

“Yes, I could not fool your discerning eye,” Mr. Carter admitted.

He elaborated on the latter part of the story: The two fought fiercely, but the woman was overwhelmed and gravely injured by the man. In that critical moment, she seemed to notice the rift, and suddenly tossed the child in her arms onto the snow below. She then committed everything to stop the man, but was ultimately slain.

Just as the man attempted to seize the child, the rift vanished, taking with it the man and everything beyond it, as if vanished into a dream.

The boy in the snow was the only proof that what he had seen was no illusion.

“I adopted that child; he's my pupil, Tom,” Mr. Carter explained. “I've sought the truth of that day ever since, though without any clue. When I heard about the chief scientist, I brought him to Washington to visit, but I never guessed…”

Never guessed they would encounter political upheaval upon reaching Washington.

“Your conflict with the chief scientist reminded me of the scene I witnessed that day. Then, I heard people murmuring that you might be a goddess descended to earth, and a theory began to form,” Mr. Carter lowered his gaze, “I instructed volunteers to monitor the monster not only to protect people but to have a chance to meet you… I overestimated myself; please dispense justice.”

From seeking forgiveness to requesting judgment, Emily mused, saying, “This fault cannot be ignored. Speak truthfully—what else do you know?”

“Indeed,” Mr. Carter, now more compliant, admitted, “I have scoured many ancient texts. Besides the mystical Great Lakes in the east, there are also tales of enchanted mountains and strange waters concealing gateways to other worlds. I speculate that there may be an entrance to another realm near the Arizona town, and that’s what the monster seeks.”

A bold but plausible guess.

Men seek immortality, and so do creatures. Throughout history, those chasing glimpses of the divine have never been few. Mr. Carter had the rare fortune of catching such an extraordinary glimpse of another world, fueling his enduring obsession.

Yet… Emily couldn’t help but recall a grand festival where she heard The Tale of the Seeker. The fox said, “Mountains rise forty-eight thousand feet, layered with bones. Through such treacherous paths, who still asks for paradise?” 

There is no paradise; the path to ascension is paved with countless corpses.

“You wish to go there, don’t you?” Emily asked.

Mr. Carter replied bitterly, “Miss, you come from heaven, you don’t understand the suffering of mortals.”

Don’t understand? Emily sighed deeply, “Mr. Carter, a mortal’s pain is merely birth, aging, illness, and death. Do you think those don’t exist there? Think carefully about what you've seen; where there is conflict, there will be death, and where there is death, there is no immortality.”

“That still surpasses a mortal’s life!” Carter spoke with passion, “Please, allow me!”

Emily shook her head, “I can neither permit nor prevent you, return now.”

Mr. Carter fell silent, eventually bowing once more with a heavy thud, “I understand, thank you.” With that, he retreated from the room, departing without a backward glance.

What had he understood, Emily did not know. She figured he understood nothing. But… is understanding always beneficial? After hearing Joe Carter’s tale, Emily's understanding of the gateway increased, but her mood soured.

If the gateway opened randomly and not by design, should she stay this time? If she left, it would be without notice, leaving many things undone; if she stayed, how many years might she wait?

Despite her turmoil, Emily set out for the Arizona town.

The land was aptly named; the town lay in a low basin surrounded on three sides by rolling hills, easy to attack and hard to defend—a considerable challenge. Adding to her dilemma was the fact that her expertise lay in fire magic, which meant a high probability of igniting the forest during battle with the monster, endangering the town's residents.

If, however, she constrained herself too much, her chances of vanquishing the monster decreased, and they would all meet their doom.

With no other choice, she rummaged through her notes for solutions.

Luck favored her (thanks to her scholarly diligence)!

She discovered a basic defensive array that could be activated by placing stones at five cardinal points: north, south, east, west, and center. Its defensive capacity was modest but sufficient to prevent a forest fire.

The sole catch was that the array required someone at the center to continuously infuse it with energy.

While embroiled in the fight, Emily would be unable to do so, but fortunately, someone capable of wielding such energy had just arrived.

"At your service, Miss," Tom stood at her doorstep, accompanied by a group of enthusiastic volunteers.

Emily inquired, “What brings you here?”

“It's our duty as volunteers to eradicate threats, to offer what little aid we can,” responded the middle-aged lead volunteer.

“And your leader?” Emily asked.

“My mentor is watching the monster in the woods,” Tom, who had acquainted himself with her approachable nature, bravely stepped forward, “Is there anything we could do, Miss?”

“Yes, indeed,” she replied, “During the battle with the monster, there will surely be strange phenomena. Please, calm the residents of Arizona town, preventing any panic.”

The seasoned volunteer bowed deeply, “As you command, Miss.”

“As for Tom, I have another task for him,” Emily announced, “He stays. The rest of you may leave.”